such other holy and blessed sainctes are not nowe ashamed to reserue to theim selues the vyle bones of these blasphemous martyrs who neyther in puritie of lyfe or constancie in death were worthye the names of Christians Thus these protestantes contrarie to their owne doctrine striue with their owne shadowes They in their bookes and talke contempne reliques yet vsynge the same after thyr owne fancies they are contented to allowe theÌ„ Who cannot playe Democritus part continually too laughe at their folly or who can forbeare to saye Ocaecas hominum meÌ„tes o pectora caeca For what is blyndnes if this be none Moreouer when Rogers their pseudmartyr protomartyr I woulde saye was burnt in Smythfield were there not diuers marchaunt men and others which seing certayne pigions flying ouer the fire that haunted to a house harde adioyninge beyng amased with the smoke forsooke their nestes and flew ouer the fixe were not ashamed boldely to affirme that the same was the holy ghoste in the lykenes of a doue This thynge is sufficiently knowen by experience to them which were there present Then by the lyke argument they might haue sayde the crowes which the same time houered ouer the fyre were deuels But what blasphemy is this such opinionatiue fooles to beleue or credite suche fansies The Heathen poetes neuer deuysed more toyes vpon Iupiter Iuno Diana Actaeon Io or suche other counterfaites then the madbraynes of the protestantes haue inuented tales vpon these Ethnikes Whose lying lippes are so sugred with false reportes that y â— brethe therof is marueylous delectable to a great many of the same generation yea it is supposed that a great numbre be founde as hyrelinges to maintayne that arte which amonges the simple wander as pylgrymes too publyshe their hidde misteries much lyke Sinon who with his disguised habite and proporcion of body togethers with his vnhappy oracion begyled the poore Troianes But al wyse men whiche can beware of other mennes harmes no doubte wyll take heede of the loytering adders which hide theÌ„selues in the grasse And as for other whiche passe for no admonicion I feare me without God of his mercy spare them will verefie the prouerbe Sero sâ—â—iuâ—t â—br â—â—â—es and so will repent with hadde I wist as the vnhappy Troianes did But yet these ouerthwart neighbours thynkyng too caste another bone for the catholikes to gnawe vpon hyt them home as they thynke with this obiection Oh say thei what a beggerly religioÌ„ is theirs which hath no man valiauntly to sticke to the death in the defence therof For a good shepehearde wyll geue his owne lyfe for his shepe Therefore it appereth our religion is founde whiche hath had soo manye shepeheardes that hath bestowed their lyues in the defence of the verite But here they begynne too tryumphe like vnto a pestileÌ„t heretike in the primatiue churche called Montanus who affirmed that he was the holy ghoste And when he and his adherentes were conuicted of heresie thei boasted as our men do nowe that they had many men whiche spent their liues in theyr opinioÌ„ and that that was an infallible argument that they had the spirite of God Unto whome it was aunswered that that case was not alwayes true For certen other heretikes there were which boasted of their false martyrs as the Marcionites which denied Christe and other a great numbre And because they saye that in this Realme there were none which were coÌ„tent to geue their liues for the defeÌ„ce of their faith the matter is so apparantly knoweÌ„ to be false as the yong infante can by report of his own parentes saye the contrary But what shall I nede to reherse the moste godly and no lesse learned whiche haue bene contented too haue not only ben depryued their nobilite and great possessioÌ„s but also to yelde their neckes too the stroke of the axe and sworde for the defence of the libertie of christes churche Whose fames are so registred in the volume of immortalite that no coÌ„tinuance of time nor inconstancie of fortune can wipe them out of memory What shall I nede to remembre Albanê° the fyrst martyr in this realme which with moste vile tormentes was persecuted of Dioclesian theÌ„peroure in the yeare of our lorde 286. for the faieth of the Gospell and the verite of the church that one Fortunatus wrytynge of the prayse of virgins saythe AlbanuÌ„ egregium foecuÌ„d a Britannia profert Britane of abundance and pleÌ„ty moste able Procreated Albane that martyr honorable Whiche worthy man was buried at a place then called VVarlingacester now called of his own name sainct Albons Where was exerted a notable monument or abbey for perpetuall memory of this worthy man Many other at that time likewise suffred for the cause of the churche What shal I stande here vpoÌ„ the prayse of that godly man sainct Thomas sometimes archebysshop of Cantorbury vnto whome I wil attribute none other praise then Polydorê° Virgilius other chrono graphers do Who called hym vir summa integritate atque prudentia a man of muche holynes and wysdome Who after he hadde bene in exile more then .vii. yeares banysshed by Henry the secoÌ„d into FrauÌ„ce not for ambicion as the malicious headdes of the protestantes conceiue but onely for admonyshing the kyng for misusing the liberties of the churche for peruerting godly orders for il wicked liuing for exterminating the spirituall promocions vpon noughty vses These were the causes why this man was banyshed not here rehersed for zeale but spoken for truthe not gathered without authoritie but reported vpon the wordes of chronicles the faythfull arbiters of thynges alredy past This maÌ„ I say to thintent the thinges aforesayde should not decaye had rather to haue geuen his life not of malice to withstand the king vnto whom he bare moste obedieÌ„ce but for the zeale he had to gods churche the chambre of the pore But as now there wanteth none if tyme serued whiche would not stycke too doo mischiefe euen so then their wanted not vnhappie harebraynes to rydde this godly man of his lyfe Who within a whyle after as a iuste rewarde for their cruell facte in a moste miserable maner as the history declareth ended their lyfes The deathe of whiche godly manne was not onely a cause of greate repentaunce to the king himself but the people vniuersally moste deuoutly be wailed his death saying VVe the people and flocke of Christ haue lost our good and godly shepeharde Thus this godlye man of the godly people theÌ„ was had in gret admiratioÌ„ although it pleaseth the gallantes of our time to saye otherwyse What shall I stande here vpoÌ„ the death of Iohn Fyssher semetyme Byshop of Rochester a man of notable learning innocencie of lyfe or the death of the second Cicero syr Thomas More a man endewed with heauenlye eloquence Qui demum ambo maluerunt de Vita quam de Ro pâ—ntificis autoritatis
disgracyng him with all vile wordes and histories of his lyfe paste that possiblye hee could deuise he semed euen openly before the kyng to make a coÌ„batte with his spirit For as Plinye sayeth they that speake euel of dead menne seme to contende and fyghte with their spirites So this Prophete then to proue that his stoute diyng made not his quarell good had the wordes ensuing O say thei the maÌ„ died very boldly he would not haue done so had he not been in a iuste quarell This is no good argumente my frendes a man semeth not to feare death therfore his cause is good This is a deceiuable argument he wente to death boldely ergo he standeth in a iuste quarel The Anabaptistes that were burnt here in Englande in diuerâ— townes as I haue hearde of credible men I sawe theÌ„ not my selfe weÌ„t to their death euen intrepride as ye will saye without any feare in the world cherefully wel let them go There were in the olde doctors tymes another kynde of poysoned heretikes that were called Donatistes And these heretikes went to their executioÌ„ as though they shold haue gone to some â—oly recreation or banquet to some belly chere or to a plaie And will you argue then he goeth to his death boldly or cherefully ergo he dieth in a iust cause Nay that sequele foloweth no more theÌ„ this A maÌ„ semes to be afrayd of death ergo he dieth euill And yet our sauiour Christe was afrayde of death himself TheÌ„ he afterwards warneth his audience not to iudge those which are in authorite but to praie for them It becommeth not saith he to iudge great magistrates nor condempne their doynges Vnles their dedes be openly and apparantly wicked Charitie requireth the same for charitie iudgeth no maÌ„ but well of euery body c. Thus Latymer proueth that stoute diyng is no sure token of a good quarell and proueth it a false surmyse if anye doo beleue the cause of death to be true because of sturdines in the tyme of the same Also to proue that it is not the death that maketh a martir but the cause The cronicles make mencion of one Iohn Oldecastell a knyght a valiaunt man although he were wicked who with one Roger Acton togethers with him fauouriug Wickleffes opinioÌ„s coÌ„spired against the kynges maiestie then Henry the fyft onely to sette forwardes their conceiued opinions with a desperate company assembled thynkyng to obtayne the cytie of London from the kyng But beyng preuented he was takeÌ„ and put into the towre of London The sayd Acton also who within a whyle after was worthely put to death but Olde castell escaped pryson not withstandyng within a shorte space he was taken agayne then hanged drawen and quartered But he weÌ„t to his death so stoutly as though he had nothyng deserued to dye But if heresie and treason be no iust causes then he dyed wrongfully as in the cronycles more at large appereth If the stoutnes of death be a iust cause to proue a martyr then many whiche haue denyed Christe to be equall with the father which was the Arrians opynion were martyrs Then Ioane Butcher is a martir TheÌ„ the Flemyng whiche was burnt in Smythfielde in the tyme of kyng Edward is a martyr who lyued in such continencie and holynes of lyfe that before his goyng to meate he woulde fall prostrate vpon the grounde geue thankes to God the father hys dyete was so moderate that in two dayes space he vsed but one meale at the tyme of his death he was so frollicke that he fared muche lyke our martyrs in embracyng the redes kyssyng the poaste syngyng and suche other toyes In lyke sorte the grosse martyr Ioane Butcher handled the matter And where as one Skorie then preached before the people in tyme of her death she reuyled and spytted at hym makyng the sygne of the gallowes towardes him boldly affirming that all they that were not of her opinion shuld be dampned Yea she was so bold to say that a. M. in LondoÌ„ were of her sect Such the like was y â— charitie of Anne Askewe so ofte by Bale lykened to Blandina that true martyr of Christes churche in his furious boke which he wrote of her death a noble pece of worke mete for such a champion to be thauthor The sayde Anne Askewe was of suche charitie that when pardon was offered she defied them all reuyling the offerers therof with suche opprobrious names that are not worthy rehersall makyng the lyke sygnes too the preacher at her death as her pue fellowe systcr in Christ Ioane Butcher dyd at Skorie aforesayde These arrogant and presumptuous martirs in the time of their deathes doo lytle esteme the woordes of sayncte Paule sayinge If I had the spirite of prophecie and knew al misteries and all maner of cunnyng Also if I had all fayth in so muche as I could traÌ„slate and cary awaye mouÌ„taynes yet were I nothyng if I lacked charitie Moreouer if I dyd distribute all my goodes in fedyng the poore people and although I gaue my body to bee burned hauing no charitie it nothynge auayleth me Thus yf they estemed the Godly exhortacioÌ„s of holy scriptures they wold not so vncharitably vse theÌ„selfes especiallye at the extremitie of death But the deuel whose martyrs they bee dothe alwayes instructe his darlinges to followe hys ragyng steppes True are the wordes of the wyseman saying A sturdy harte shall susteine damage and he that loueth peril therin shal perish Therfore sturdynes and selfe loue is the onely cause of the martirdomes of our martyrs wherof do spryng innumerable faultes as Cicero saith When men puffed vp with stoutenes of opinion be shamefully inuolued in folish error Doutles a great faulte it is and coÌ„trary to ciuile life so to be addicted to self loue and arrogaÌ„cie as to thinke our selues to bee so learned that no perswasioÌ„ or terror can beate the mynde from that folly A pitifull case it is to see not only the learned which for waÌ„te of grace do fall but also blynde bayarde who although he be vtterly blind and dull yet his corage is suche that he careth not to leape ouer hedge and dytche I meane the symple ignoraunt whiche only for wante of knowledge do erre and yet haue such audacitie that they care not to spend their liues in their folly And for that these blynde bayardes doo so stycke in their opinions to death it is woÌ„dered at of many not of learned or godly men but of braynesicke foles which like fethers wyll be caried about with euery blast of newe doctrine At the deathes of whiche you shall see more people in Smythfeilde flockyng together on heapes in one daye then you shall see at a good sermon or exhortacion made by some learned man in a whole weke Their glorie is suche vpon these glorious martyrs And why is this because their myndes are geuen wholy to
laufullye Then to execute it vpon the vnrightuous which committed any falte against the Gospell whiche reproueth true religioÌ„ is a thing moste laufull whiche fautes are adiudged by the churche worthy excommunication that is to say to cut them of whiche are obstinate as s Paule wysheth Titus Nowe if the lawe be good to cut them of as rotteÌ„ branches which either be authors of sectes or offenders otherwise the lawe iudging them worthy death then it is a thing perswaded by scriptur to burne suche braunches which are dampned by their owne iudgemeÌ„t no iniurie done to th one or thotheâ— but charitie in cuttig them of that thei should sinne no more in y â— like faultes to encresse their own daÌ„pnation VVe wold not saith saynt Augustine haue them cut of meaning heretikes from the other ioyntes and meÌ„bers of the body but forasmuche as the wounde by cutting away the dead flesh may soner be healed then if it were suffered to remaine stil Therfore a more holsom remedy is foùd with a short paine to ease the grief then to suffer it to fester and rankcâ—e the other membres So it appereth that it is a most pestilent error to thinke that noone for any opinion or conscience oughte too be put to death But peraduenture they wyll alledge agayne saying why doth God say which is the lorde of the haruest suffre the cockle and the good corne to growe together till the haruesâ— leste you pull vp the good corne therwith â–ª Doutles euen for this cause We se by experience when seedes good and bad are throweÌ„ vpon the earth together whyle they be yonge it is daungerous to plucke vp the one leste the other be plucked vp also But iâ— they be suffered to growe till the good corne haue a stronge roote then the cockle growing vp therwith may be easely discerned without daunger of hurtyng the good corne the cockle may be roted out Euen so in the infancie of the churche at suche tyme as the fayth was not throughly roted in the hartes of men muche lenite and genlenes was vsed in ouercommynge the stubburnes of heretikes least the weake christians not fully instructed in the fayth might haue falleÌ„ therby So that there was no sharpnes shewed vpoÌ„ any till the time of Maximus theÌ„perour by whose authorite heretikes began to bee odible and were cut of by the teÌ„porall swoorde After whome Theodosius Valentinianus Martianus the like Emperours raigned in whose times also lawes were made for the punyshyng of heretikes and such as were authors of euill doctrine the cause was for that the fayeth of Iesus began firmely to take holde aswell in Emperoures Kynges and Princes as also in others And the churche as it is nowe soo growen that it hathe soo stronge roote that hell gates shall not preuayle againste it that is too saye neyther the persecution of tyrantes nor the peruersite of heretikes can ouerthrowe it the churche I saye nowe beyng in this state that heretikes maye easly be discerned as cockle is in haruest which is then weded for ouergrowing the good corne doth by by excommunication cut them of as scripture commaundeth For euery peruerse doctrine is as saint Hierome saith LeaueÌ„ And leanen oughte to bee taken from the doughe A sparckle as soone as is doth appeare ought to be quenched rotten flesh ought to be cut awaye a skabby shepe ought too be repealed from the flocke least the house the doughthe body the flocke be throughly corrupted do burne do putrifie and marre Arrius in Alexandria was but one sparcle but because it was not immediatly put out y â— flame therof destroyed the hole worlde What mercy is this to fauour â—â— to bryng all other in peril of their liues Meaning heretikes who if they myght bee suffered too reigne would bryng all thynges to ruine as is aforesayd Of that mynde is Chrisostome that eloquent Atlas one of the pillers of goddes veritie saying Haue you not hearde saieth he that he whiche in the olde testament gathered styckes vpoÌ„ the Sabboth daye for that he offended that one commaundement was destroyed with extreame death Haue you not heard also that Ozi whiche did but staye vp the Arke from falling was immediatly stroken starke dead because he toke vpon hym an vnfit ministerie Therefore dothe the violacion of the Saboth and the touchyng of the Arke so muche offende God that the offendours could obtayne no pardon What Pardon and excuse shall he haue then that doth corrupte holsome doctrine and in place thereof soweth wycked opinions Thus Chrysostome and the other Doctours of Christes churche iudge them whiche by their euell suggestions corrupte the symple membres of the churche worthy temporall deathe and punyshement Then that opinion whiche the Protestantes conceyue of their owne brayne vpon the aforesayde parable of the gospell and also that no man oughte too suffer death for his conscience is quite frustrate of none effecte And because our heretikes wil nedes haue their men to be taken for martyrs some of them counterfayting the trade of the auncient state of the true churche gather together the burnt bones of these stynking martyrs entendyng thereby by lyke to shryne the same or to preserue them for relykes that at suche a tyme as wheÌ„ an heretike is burnt ye shal see a route enclosing the fyer for that purpose And when the fyer is done they lye wallowyng like pygges in a stie to scrape in that hereticall dongehill for the sayde bones Yea and as it is reported some gossyps and fellowe disciples of these wicked apostles vse the same nexte to their hartes in the mornyng beyng grated in a cuppe of Ale too preserue them from the chyncoughe and suche other maladies incident to suche hoote burning stomakes A prety medicine apte for such brainesicke pacientes Thei may be well compared to Artemisia of whome we rede in Aulus Gellius which was wife to Mausolê° king of Caria who when her husbande was dead she was of such an affectioÌ„ being beyond al measure rapt w t his loue that after the funeralles was done she gathered together all the bones and ashes of her husbande and minglinge the same with perfumes and other swete odours she dranke them vp declaring by suche outwarde tokens her immesurable affection Many of our gosseps taken with the same spirite in loue not with their owne husbandes whose lyke examples I neuer herd of but with their mery martyrs that for their sakes they care not to quaffe vppe the poudet of their durtye bones too declare their burning affections A pityfull case and wyth teares too be lamented that the innumerable relyques of Christes true martirs were so wyckedlye neglected as they haue bene in the late malicious tyme. But thei were theÌ„ rediculous to these sortes of menne who cryed oute with al wehemence to what purpose are the reseruacion of the dead bones and so contempning the reliques of thapostles Iohn Baptist and
sententia decedere Vt ocius in caelo quemadmodum ipsi sperabant fruerentur aeuo What shall I nede to stande vpon the poore Monkes of the Charterhouse who were contented to suffer their bodies to be dismembred in peces and to be hanged vpon sondry gybbettes rather then thei would yelde to the depriuacion of the Popes authoritie Whose worthy names worthy perpetuall memory hereafter followe That is to saye Iohn Houghten Robert Laurēce Augustine Webster Humfrey Middelmore William Exmewe Sebastian Nedigate Wylliā Horn Iohn Rochester Iames Walwerke Rychard Bere Thomas Ionson Thomas Grene Iohn Dauye William Grenewoode Tho. Screuen Robert Salte Walter Pereson and Thomas Reding What nede I els to stay vpon the deathes of the good mē the Abbotes of Colchester Glastonbury and Redyng or els of Powel Fetherstone Abell Germayne Stone Forrest manye others to whome death was nothyng ferefull for the quarell of God and his churche These and a greate number mo died for the cause of the catholyke fayeth that fayeth whiche hath euer cōtinued from age to age with the consente of all kyngdomes christen euen from the begynnyng whose memory shall be magnified tyll the ende of the worlde But the deathes of oure cranke Heretykes lye dead and are buryed in the graue of cankred obliuion couered with perpetuall infamye excepte they be enrolled in a fewe threehalfepennye bookes whiche steale oute of Germanye replete aswell with treason against the Kyng Quenes maiesties as with other abhominable lyes Moreouer in the late kynges tyme Edwarde the syxte wherein heresie expressed her game there were many godly mē which for the defence of the moste honorable ▪ Sacramente of the Altar and the other sacramentes yelded their bodies to pryson As the late worthye Prelate Doctour Stephen Gardiner byshop of Wynchester with other Bysshoppes and men of greate learning Yea if their deathes had bene required they woulde with moste willing heartes haue suffered the same But the proceders then knewe well inoughe that that was not the waye too procede in their doynges leaste they should haue become odious to all sortes of people But they fared lyke VVyat the late rebell of Kent who went aboute to achyue his enterprise not with rapine and spoyle according to the nature of rebellion but with all lenite and gentlenes thereby too allure the peoples hartes the rather to embrace and aide his attemptes but as his cloake was then spanishe so was the others of late time Iewishe Then hauing all these not onely wel learned but also godly men whiche aswell haue suffred paynes of death for their religion as these protestātes haue for theirs what haue they gayned then by this obiection If the stoute death of a man doeth approue his cause good then what cause haue the protestantes to refell the religion nowe vsed But here to finyshe this matter to procede in further explication of the fantasticall feates and abuses of the protestantes let vs learne further of Saint Paule who saith these wordes Knowe this saith he that in the last daies shal come perillous tymes For men shal be louers of thē selues couetous boasters proude cursed speakers disobedient to fathers and mothers vnthankeful vngodly vnkinde truce breakers false accusers Riotors dispisers of them that be good Trayters heddy hygh minded gredy vpon voluptuousnes more thē the louers of God hauing a similitude of godlinesse but deniing the power therof and suche abhorre For of this sorte are they which enter into houses and bring into bondage women laden with sinne whiche women are led with diuers lustes euer lerning and neuer able to come to knowledge of the trut he Nowe lette euerye man weyghe these wordes of s Paule And note if we haue not had amonges vs the like false prophetes with the lyke cōdicions First he sayeth they shall be louers of themselues Christ saieth He that loueth himselfe more then me is not worthy of me Who be they whiche loue them selfes more thē they do Christe Doubtes they that prefer y ◠loue of this worlde before Christ geuing place to the worlde and the lustes thereof Which vice is commen to al men and vsed of to many especially to suche whereof mencion is made before whiche neglectynge the brynging of their affections into bondage liue as their owne sensualitie doth leade them not caringe for the holsome preceptes of goddes moste holy worde but disobeying the lawes of the magistrates constituted too a good purpose to yoke the heauye carcase to thyntent he maye the better obeye the preceptes diuine For if the appetites do rule with out resistance they will soone ouercome y ◠imbecillitie of nature A victory or fielde is soone won if there be none to resiste Then the protestantes beynge maryed priestes yeldynge the seruyce of their bodye to the fraylitie of the fleshe was thereof ouercommed But if they had bene good souldiours and had fought vnder the standerd of continencie no doubt but they had wonne the fielde Thinke you Alexander the great had he geuen his minde too serue his appefites in his first warres had proued so valiant a conquerour ▪ No truely For after his first victory agaynst Darius kyng of Persia hauing alwayes in his hoste the wyfe of thesame Darius whiche incomparably excelled all other women in beautie woulde neuer after he had once sene her haue her to come into his presence albeit that he caused her estate styll to be maynteyned and with asmuche honor as euer it was And to them whiche wondryng at the ladies beautie marueyled why Alexander did not desyre too company with her he answered saying It shoud be to him a reproche to be subdued by the wyfe of him whome he had vanquyshed This was a ryght conquerour worthy to wynne all the worlde whiche in this sorte could haue the victory ouer his owne lustes being a cruel fight for a faint harted souldior This fight fought Scipio surnamed Aphricanus whē he hadde wonne Carthage For emonges diuers women whiche were taken one most fairest emōges the rest was ▪ brought vnto him to do with her his pleasure But when he knew that she was affiaunced to another called Indibilis he caused him to be sent for and perceiuyng the louyng tokens betwene them he deliuered her to Indibilis paying for her raūsome and adding further an honourable porcion of his owne treasure This was another excellente victorye gotten of a famous souldior which would not thoughe he had libertie violate his mynde vpon the beautie of a woman But our protestantes and married preistes neglecting their first fayth cared not vpon whom they had bestowed themselues lytle waying the counsell of saint Paule that he can bee no good souldiour to God which enwrappeth himselfe with secular affaires These be thei which pretended godlynes and vnder the hypocrisie of marrying deceiued the simple begyled their owne selues For when they thought themselues surest of their fained wyues they did the soner
and Abiron who for grudging against the authoritie of Moyses were swallowed into the yearth And let all suche as will seke for none amendment loke for no lesse if not the like yet as terrible TRuce breakers also bee they And concernyng this breaking of truce vnitie concorde rehersal is made before For they counted that the continuance in vnitie of religioÌ„ was to stale for theÌ„ to obserue but thei wold seke some other truth contrary to the truth vsed in all countreis to purchase vnto theÌ„selues a perpetual name like vnto Herostratus who to winne a name caring not whether it were good or bad attempted many vile enterprises and amoÌ„ges all he set on fier the temple of Diana in Ephesus whiche was the notablest teÌ„ple in all the worlde Euen so these truce breakers to get them a name peruerted al godly orders many huÌ„dred yeres vsed in the church of christ and al other holsome institucioÌ„s frequeÌ„ted in the same And thus in breaking of vnitie the knot of mannes life they became altogethers truce breakers and subuerters of Gods truth FAlse accusars riotous and despisers of them that be good in slauÌ„dering of good vertuous men with il names callyng them Sodomites whoremongers ill liuers And while they were thus accusing of others theiÌ„ theÌ„selues lyued moste abhominably couering their owne offences in belying others muche lyke Pharaos wyfe who to couer her owne vnshamefastnes accused Ioseph to her husbande and like vnto the Phariseis whiche to slaunder Christ ceased not daily w t impudent wordes to belie him saying He is a Samaritane he hath a deuil within him he is a blasphemer a glutton a seducer of the people he denieth to pay tribute and suche other wordes to bring him out of credite with y â— people The like wordes haue the Protestantes vpon religious godly men whose holynes and austeritie of lyfe because they haue no willes to followe they be not coÌ„tented to suffre theÌ„ to go or passe quietly without their tauntes reproches Yea some to vtter furth the holsome frutes of their spirites care not to put many in daunger of their lyues Was it not a gooly fruite thinke you for these men whiche crie vpon the lorde like the lordes lambes do suffre persecution as they terme it in the beginning of the quenes maiesties raigne contrary to the obedience whiche ought to be in subiectes resisting the Maior the Sheriffes the Aldermen to make such a tumult at Paules crosse seking meanes to kyll the preacher yea one of theÌ„ so bold to throwe his Dagger at him Was not this thinke you a charitable work of their pacieÌ„t sprites whiche they so boasted of proceding from the entrailes of their thristing stomakes whiche with thursting voyces cried styll vpon the worde of the lord Was there not also another fyne piece of worke of these charitable meke lambes vttered when a gunne was shot at another preacher makyng a godly sermon at Paules crosse Was not this also thinke you a mete practise of this persecuted shepe What I pray you was the abhominable facte done at Westminster in saint Margaretes churche by the like charitable champion vpon Easterdaye Who all the people beyng in a godly quietnes at our Lordes table aboute to receiue the blessed body bloud of Christ suddenly rose a desperate ladde strake at the preist hauing almost slaine him and diuers other honest persones there present Was not this also suppose ye a godly acte mete for suche a professour who professing the deuils religion became altogether a minister and limâ—â—e of the deuil Was there not also a great learned man and a Freer of Grenewich called Peyto almost slain with a stone passing in a wherye by the wharfes of a lighterman that a long tyme after the poore man lay sicke scarce yet recouered And yet for this facte the sayd godly man sought none other reuengemente but when he was demaunded why he caused not the partie to be punished sayd God forbid For nowe I vnderstandyng his malice haue a good cause to praye for him that he may amende O good man and worthy to bee had in estimation who folowing his maister Christ sought no reueÌ„gement but praied for his enemies He did not as that malicious heretical Freer Bale dyd who beyng reproued for a detestable sermon he made in Hampshire of a worshipful man did not onely seke reuengement in causing the partie to stande vpoÌ„ the Pyllory but also made a shamefull booke against him entitled An expostulation againste a ranke papiste in Hampshyre most shamefully reuilyng the sayd man of worshyp more lyke a fylthye ruffian then lyke a manne that semed to the worlde to haue the spirit of God Many other ryotous ruflynges practised by these rakehels there bee whiche for breuitie I nowe omitte I maye compare them to Silla the cruel Romaine or to Catiline that vngracious varlet whiche disturbed the common wealth of Rome sought meanes to brynge the same to vtter confusion TRAITOVRS headdie and hyghmynded are these protestantes prouokyng the good to conspiracies alluryng the euil to put the same in practise sondrye wayes vtteryng their trayterous stomakes What newe deuises do somme of them imagine to make hurly burlyes within this realme But God the betrayer of all trayterous heartes eueÌ„ in tyme discloseth what they bee And the deuil the authour of treason bryngeth his darelinges infected with treason the handmaide of heresie to a shamefull and vile ende What brought Northumberlande to his deserued ende in going about to displace y e Quenes maiestie of her iust tytle but treason and heresie the instrumentes of his deuilishe attemptes What brought Wyat to his shamefull ende but rebellion begonne for heresyes sake and treason continued tyll he was ouerthrowen What was the cause of Crumwelles falle but heresie begonne with spoyle of Abbeis treason against the kyng himselfe What was the cause of the deathes of oure late traytours but heresie the foundresse of their coÌ„spiracie and treason intended against the Kyng and Quenes maiesties the subuersion of oure common wealth What manne or woman was there euer beyng heretikes but that heresy ioyned with treason hath brought to confusion Was not Olde castell wherof we spake before brought to a miserable ende for fauouring Wycklefe his opinion Was not Acton of his conspiracie and came to the lyke ende for fauouring the same opinions I praye you to what end came CraÌ„mer the late bishop of Cantorburye who in his fyrst ruffe soughte the diuorce of the most vertuous quene Katherine lawfull wyfe to kyng Henry the eight mother to our most gracious soueraigne ladye and afterwardes continued in promotyng of heresye and diuorsinge this realme from a godlye wyfe called vnitie preferryng Heresy that strumppette to matche with this noble coÌ„mon wealth Immittens falsem in alienam messem Finally
not y â— outwarde formes of bread and wyne but the body of Christ inuisibly therin contained The churche teacheth all kyndes of lyuely and holsome doctrine as Fasting Prayer Charitie Almesdedes Amendement of lyfe Penaunce and all other good workes mete to be obserued of a christian man Therfore waye with your selues ones more what cause haue these gracelesse menne thus to misreport the church or to spende their lyues against the churche Then fynally consider whether those vices rehersed by saint Paule whiche should be moste frequented in the latter tyme were not moste practised of the saied Protestantes Whiche thynges duely considered I shall moste humbly exhorte all menne for the loue of God and in the Passion of his sonne Iesus Christe and in his name that ye al speake one thing and that there be no dissension emonges you accordyng to the counsaile of saint Paule to the Corinthians And that ye maye be a whole body of one mynde meanyng entreating you also in like maner as he doth in another place saying Whatsoeuer thinges are honest whatsoeuer thinges are iust whatsoeuer thinges are pure whatsoeuer thinges are conuenient whatsoeuer thynges are of honest reporte if there bee any vertue if there be any praise of learning those same haue you in your mynde whiche you haue bothe learned receiued heard and also seene in me the same thinges do and the God of peace shal be with you â–ª Whiche couÌ„saile if we followe doubtles we shal be the membres of one bodie not repugnant or obstinate but meke obedient Then shall we banishe all sectes and opinions and remayne in concorde vnitie TheÌ„ shall wee saye with the prophetâ— Dauid Beholde what a pleasant thing it is for brethren to lyue in vnitie Then shall we reedifie our auncient common wealthe whiche by discorde we haue lost Then shall the membres agree with the belly whiche with discorde in maner was coÌ„sumed for hunger as Menenius Agrippa telleth the histore when he went about to recoÌ„cile the commons to the obedieÌ„ce of the Senators TheÌ„ shall we be inuincible without feare of forein realmes The shall we be impregnable without feare of any nacioÌ„ And finally we shal be acceptable to hym that is the author of attonemente whiche is Iesus Christe the sonne of the the lyuing God To whome with the holy ghoste be all prayse and honor for euer ⸫ Amen An Index or Table mencioning suche speciall matter as is before conteigned in this present volume A. ABbotes of Reding Colchester and Glastonburye and of theyr death fol. 69 Abstinence how profitable a thing fo 27 Abstinence of the Persians fol. 29 Acton a traytor hereteâ— fol. 46. 103 Adoraciâ—Ì„ of the sacrameÌ„t of thalter fo 128 Aeneas verses to Dido fol. 32 AgÌ„amemnon and his sentence recited out of Seneca fol. 9 Albanus a true martir and died for the catholike fayth fol. 66 Alcibiades fol. 41 Alexander the great his coÌ„tineÌ„cie fo 72 Almesdedes fol. 34 Anabaptistes in Englande fol. 18 Anne Askewe with her stoâ—tnes and behauiour in the time of her death fo 47 Antonius an olde father fol. 28 Anncient ordres in this realme for bringing vp of youthe fo 93. Apelles the heretike fol. 75 Aunsweres of catholikes too obiections fol. 13. 108 Apostles purchasing fol. 84 Apostrophe to the vice of libertie our countreymen in Germany fol. 116 â—pohtheÌ„gma of Papinianus Bassianus fo 31 Apprentices their ill education fol. 9â— Aristotels rebuke to Calisthenes his scolleâ— folio 31 Arrius of Alexandria fol. 61. 75 Arrogancie and selfloue the causes why our couÌ„terfaite martirs do burn fo 48 Artemisia quene of Caria compared to our gosseps whiche are in loue with oure mery martyrs fol. 6â— S. Augustine for the burning of heretikes folio 43. 59 B. BAaras a rote medicinable against ill spirites fol. 11â— Bale the freer reuenged vpon a worshypfull man of Hampshere fol. 101 Bales boke called his vocation fol. 118 Beastes be not ingrate fol. 97 Bishops effeminate fol. 80 Blandina a virgine and true martir of Christe fol. 47 Blynde Bayarde and his corage fol. 48 Boasters fol. 8â— Bones of our supposed martirs of some of their confessors preserued for reliques fol. 6â— Bokes of the brethrâ— in Germany 〈…〉 A Bricâ—laier taking vpon him the â—â—â—ice of preaching fol â–ª 19 Browne the shepeheard commoÌ„ly called father browne fol. 〈…〉 Brownes mother fol. 123 Brownes mothers exposition vpon a place of scripture fol. 1â—3 Browne and his Iade fol. 1â—4 Brownes sermone ibideâ— Brutus the fyrst consul in â–ª Rome fol. 54 Burning of heretikes fol. 40 Byrde in the wall in Aldersgate â—â—â—ete fol. 120 C. CAius Pontius the Samnite fol. 14 Caluine fol. 17 Candaules kyng of Lydia fol. 6 Cranmere fol. 17 Cranmere late byshop of Cantorbury a traytor fol. 10â— The Catholiques how they auoyde the place of S. Paule to Timothe obiected by the heretikes and the ryghte sense therof fol. 23 Catholike churche in all thinges obserueth an ordre fol. 29 Catholike churche perswadeth good lyfe â–ª fol. 34 Catholike relegion in this realme how long it hath continued fol. 91 The Catte that was haÌ„ged vp in chepeâ—yde fol. 120 Catholike churche what it is fol. 12 Catholike church how to know it fo 12 Carolstadius and his 〈…〉 fol. 16 Causes of our myseriâ— fol. 10 Causes wherein men ought to spende their lyues fol. 54 Causes why the protestantes in kynge Edwardes tyme did not punyshe the catholikes by death fol. 70 Causes wherin women ought to spende their lyues fol. 78 Causes of Goddes plagues fol. 91 Causes why EnglyÌ„shmen be welcomed in Germany fol. 117 Centaurâ— certen monsters fol. 14 Chrisostome proueth that yonge wydowes did vowe fol. 25 Chrisostome for y e punishing of heretikes 6 The Champion of the fayth fo 118 Circes cuppes fol. â—â— Codrus kyng of Athenes fol. 55 Communion table procedinges about the same fol. 80 Confused ordres about the late communion fol. 83 Constancie wherin our martirs triumphe fol. 5â— Maister Christophersonnes booke against rebellion fol. 103 Couetonsnes â–ª fol. 84. 8â— Crumwell fol. â—0â— The croche of the lame man that was burned at Stratford fol. 12â— Curssed speakers fol. 89 D. THe death of quene Katherine fo 107 Demosthenes tale of an asses shadow 49 Despysers of the godly fol. 99 The difference betwene the catholike Scismaticall churche fol. 127 A discourse touching the burning of heretikes fol. 40 Disobedience to parentes fol. 92 The doctrine of the churche fol. 127 Donatus the heretike fol. 75 A duche man and his opinion fol. 19 A duche man and his hypocrysie fo 46. 57 The Duke of Northumberland fo 102 E. Elders and ministers and of their late wicked preceptes in the church fo 5. 6 Emden a cytie in Frieslande fol. 116 Englande the mother of vs all fol. 6 Essai and their abstinence fol. 28 A text of Esaie the prophet very mysused of the protestantes against fasting 37 Ethelbert fol. 9â— Example of
â–ª 118 True reliques contempned fol. 6â— A Tyler and his opinion fol. 18 V. VNthankefull fol. 95 Virgins of the cytie of Separta fo 79 The vnitie of the churche fo 20. 21. 126 Vnitie the badge of the churche fol. â—0 VV. WEakenes of women fol. 76 Women euer learnyng and neuer able to attayne vnto the truthe fol 74 Women promoters of heresie fol. 75 Whether it be the cause or the death that maketh a martyr fol. 44 What tyme the temporall â—worde begin to serue the ghospell fol. 60 Wyues of certen men called Miâ—i fo 79 Wyat and his practise fol. 7â— Wyat and his treason â–ª fol. 102 Wordes of the ignoraunt people vpon the heretikes passing to death fol. 43 Wordes of father Peyloe a freer of Grene wiche touchyng the partie that dyd hurte hym fol. 101 Y. YAcob and â—ance of Straâ—â—orough folâ—o 116 Z. Zwynglins and his opinion fol. 16 FINIS Imprâ—nted at London by Robert Caly within the precinâ—t of the late dessolued house of the graye Freers nowe conuerted to an Hospitall called Christes Hospitall MENSE IV LII Annâ— 1556. Plato lib. 2. De Re Pub. Herodotus in Cliâ— Libro primâ— â–ª Seneca in Agamemnone Act. 2. The â—â—â— causes of our miseriâ— Ioan. 9. et 15. Obstinacie of opinions is the cause of errour Officiorum lib primo Infidelitie The definicion of heresie The catholike churche what it is Howe to knowe the catholike churche Matth. v. Daniel ii Psal xviii â— Tim. iii. Lib. i. de veritate fidei Homeri odyss libro decimo The heretikes obiections The answere of the catholikes Psal xviii ii Peter iii. Aeneido 6. Virgi anâ—id 8. Lucianus in deoruÌ„ dialog Cicero officiorum lib. 2. This monster was a iust token manifested by God to geue meÌ„ aduertisement to take hede ofsuch false prophetes whiche vnder the godly habites of religious men should seke the subuersion of his churche â—ib 13. histor sui temporis A rebersall of sundryâ— sectes deuised by dyuers heretikes As this good minister loued good ale so he had .iii. ale knights to stande in defence of his opinion called Good alâ— Newe ale â— Rastale Iohn .iii. Vnitie the badge or coâ—â—izance of Christes churche Marc. ix Lu. x. xxiiii Iohn 14. â—1 â— Cor. xii i. Tim. iiii The words of the protestantes In all thinges the protestaÌ„tes sekemeanes to discredit the church Odyss 12. Libertie a pleasaÌ„t harmony to theÌ„ that are coÌ„teÌ„ted to embrace it as the protestantes are This place of s Paule was wonte to be paynted vpoÌ„ the walles of churches to begyle the simple But when thou readest this place waye it wel in the minde theÌ„ giue seÌ„tâ—ce Mariage is not discommendid of y e church but it is magnefied for out of the .vii. Iewels thereof â— Tim. v. Nu. 6. 30. Eccle. v. Iohn ii Poinettes doctrine No doctrin can be ill if it serue for the practise of the hotte protestaÌ„ces who rather then they would lyue chaste wold say theâ—cold not chose but burne i. Cor. vii A question A place of Chrisostom to proue that yong wydowes did vowe The church forbiddeth no meates as the folly of the protestantes doth imagine Act. iiii Sundrye sectes of heretikes that verefied S. Paules prophecie â—ere â—osen gerâ—aines to the protestantes â—uido de hâ— resibus 〈…〉 e profitable abstinence is Leui â–ª lx Numeri vi Matth. xv Roma xiii Gala. v. â— Reg. vii Macha iii. Daniel â— iii. Reg. xiâ— â–ª Iudith .ix. Hester â–ª â—â—iâ— Epist 18. Iosephus â—â—lli Iudâ—â—ci lib. 2. cap. 7. Tâ—â—pertiâ—â— historia Cicero Tusculan quest lib. â— Abstinence of the Persians â—obi iiii The churche in all thinges kepeth an ordre Officiorum Libro i. In definitionibus ecclesiast dâ—gmatum Cap. 66. Gene. ix i. Timo. iiii Roma xiiii Maâ—c xv Gene. iii. Pleasaunt sermons Eras Apotheg libro 8. Plutarch in Sylla Aeneid Virgi Ephe. v. Remedies to auoyde synne Math. iii. Math. ix Math. vi Prayer and almesdedes The catholike church perswadeth austerite of lyfe Math. vii The shepish apparell of the protestaÌ„tes The protestantes consciences A stuÌ„bling stocke very muche vsed in y e mouth of Gospellers The protestaÌ„tes with one trueth do seme to confounde another Heb. xâ— â–ª â—â—â—ot in his booke called the Gouernor A pretie example A discoure touchynge the burning of heretikes and of the fonde imaginatioÌ„s of many coÌ„cernynge the same The HetheÌ„ coulde not abide the despisers of their religion Iustinus librâ— quinto De factis dictis Socratis Deu. xiiii Deu. xviii â–ª ii Thes iii Roma â—vii The maner of our heretikes Gala. iiii ii Cor. x. Gala. v. The fonde woordes of the simple rude people exclamed to the heretikes passing to death Augustinus super Ioannem â–ª Act. xix Whether it be the cause or the death that maketh a martyr Latimers coÌ„bâ—t with syr Thomas Seamers spirit In his .iiii. sermon Polidorus Libro 2 2. Olde castel in a booke that Bale maketh of his death is canoâ—â—zed for a martir A FleÌ„ming of the heresie of y e ArriaÌ„s burnt in Smythfielde Toys vsed of our martyrs Ioane Butcher otherwyse called Ioane of Kent Anne Askewe Officiorum Libro primo Blynde Bayarde Laertins in â—us vita Specialâ— poynces to be required in a martyr Eusebius lib. â— â–ª Cap. â— Act. xxiii Exod xxiâ— Philip. iii. Matth. xxii Paule wasory for hiâ— taunt but the protestaÌ„tes reioyse in theire The constaÌ„cie wher in our martyrs triuÌ„ph De natura deo â—um lib. i. The gouernor y e third boke A true martyr A merueilous resistaÌ„ce of the spirite against the fleshe and a good lesson for our maried votaries Ignatius Policarpus Iustinus In what causes men ought cheifly to spende their lyues A notable death to die for the causes of the kyng and Quenes maiesties Inslinus lib .ii. Actes v. Math. â—v â— Tim. â— Tit. iii. Contra Crescomum gram libro 4. cap. 4. The cauâ—â— why heretikes wernot punyshed in the 〈…〉 tiâ—e â—hu 〈…〉 At what tyme the sword begaÌ„ to serue the Gospell â—◠〈…〉 aâ—◠〈…〉 〈…〉 Epistola ad Galath cap. 1. The bones of our martirs of some preserued for reliques De â—octibus attiâ—is lib. x. cap. xviii True reliques contempned Rogers burnt in Smithfield the fond imaginations of diuers in the tyme of his death Virgil aeneiâ— Sâ—â—urâ—do Loyteryng Adders Another obiection of y e protestaÌ„tes Eusâ—â—ius â—â— â— â–ª â—edaecclesiast historiae gentis AngloriÌ„s lib. 1. Capit. seprâ—mo Saint Thomas of CaÌ„torbury Polydori Virg. Angl. hist li. 13 Charion cromcor lib. 3. quart monar terâ—iae aetatis Georg. Liuius Anno do â–ª â—â—â—â— The lamentatioÌ„ of the people vpoÌ„ the death of s Thomas Iohn Fiswer the bisshop of Rochester Sir Thomas More Polidor lib. 27. The poore monkes of the Charterhouse The abbottes of Rending Colchester and others Wyâ—t the Kentish rebell ii Tim. iii. Math. â— Selfe loue and yelding â—o the flesh Q. Curtius librâ— â— A notable example of Alexander touchinge the brydelinge of his own lustes Titus
anye true christian to poure out a foūtaine of teares to bewayle the calamitie thereof Whose ruyne is exceded so farre that it withdraweth mannes expectaciō to loke for amendement vnles God of his great mercy supernaturally do worke the restitucion aswell of the common wealth politike as also of the true and catholike fayth charitie and good liuyng Agamemnon might now double his exclamaciō in these dayes as Seneca reporteth which is Good life lawe good ordre godlines fayth are nowe decayed Therfore calling to my remembraūce this our carefull case I mused with my selfe what might be the cause thereof and sodaynly occurred to my remembraunce the comfortable promyses of God the father made to the obseruers of his lawes and commaundementes And likewyse I considered hys intollerable threateninges to y ◠breakers of the same Then comparing the wretchednes of our lyues to the sinceritie of his holy preceptes I fynde a marueylous difference Good life was neuer in such cōtempte malice at no tyme bare suche rule the godly neuer more dispysed finally God neuer more dishonoured nor his catholike fayth at any tyme had in so lytle regarde especially of such as moste arrogantly chalenge to thēselfes the name of true christians who in very deede are of all christianitie moste barren To whome the wordes of Christ may be wel applyed where he sayeth If I had not come vnto thē they shuld haue had no synne in them but nowe their synne doth remayne Whiche woordes are verely verified in those false christians which not onely in faith do erre but also moste obstinatly seme to defende the same In whome errour is turned to heresye and of weake and fraile mē are become obstinate heretikes It is by nature geuen to menne in somme thynges to erre but to persiste therein it is againste nature For sayth Tully we be al drawē and ledde to aspire vnto knowledge wherin to passe other we thinke it a goodly matter but to slyde to erre to be ignorant to be deceiued wee counte it euil dishonest Therfore sayth he one thyng is to bee auoyded therein which is that we take not thynges wee knowe not as thoughe wee knewe them and rashely assent to them Wherfore deliberation and aduisement is to bee required in suche causes Nowe then it is the office and duetie of mā to apply his will to the grace of God by whō truth is reueled in tyme wherevnto he ought to consent but to resist his synne doth remaine which is the sinne of Infidelitie a synne doubtles whiche most displeaseth God as appeareth by his plagues executed by his wrath vpon all sortes of infideles But nowe to drawe neare vnto the purpose whiche chiefly is to displaye the factious opinions of suche which not only do erre but also cōtinue in errour and seke with to the and nayle to defendethe same For whose infidelitie God at this daye doeth so sore plague the worlde chiefly this realme whiche for vertue good liuing sake hath bene worthely nominated Decus mundi y ◠floure of the worlde Nowe forasmuche as I know that thei which cōmonly do erre beyng reproued therefore wyll immediately make as thoughe they were ignorant what heresie is sometyme wyll demaunde what heresye is or who is an heretyke To whome if answere be made according to the diffinition of lerned men It is any false or wrong opinion whiche any man choseth to him selfe to defende against the catholike fayth of the vniuersall church Truth in dede say they But what meaneth the catholike church Then answere is made It is that congregacion whiche wholy dothe agre in one vnitie of fayth and ministracion of sacramentes Whiche answer when they likwise affirme Then procede they to know whether it be knowen or vnknowen and so furth Doubtlesse the catholike church is so knowen to y ◠worlde that neither heretike nor other miscreant can pleate ignoraunce to learne that truth whiche leadeth to saluation For the Churche is like vnto a castle stāding vpō an hyll whiche cannot be hyd Whiche hyll is cut out of the harde rocke and exalted so high that is replenisheth y ◠yerth as the prophete Daniel sayth It is resēbled also by the psalmist to a tabernacle placed in the sonne so shyning throughout the world that it can by no cloude or tēpest be obscured It is also as Paule sayth the foundation and pyller of truth and can not be deceyued thoughe her aduersaries allege the contrary Full well doth the late moste famous mā Lodouicus Viues say I doo and wyll stande sayth he to the true iudgement of the churche although I sawe to the contrary a moste manifest reason I may be deceyued as I am diuers times but the church in those thynges whiche tende to religion can not bee deceyued Therfore the churche beyng soo manifestly knowen as it cannot be hidden so replenished and garnished with truth as it is the very foundation and piller of truth with what face or countenaunce can the aduersaries therof stande in contencion therewith Unlesse they be infected w t Circes cuppes or els by her enchantmētes transformed into the shape of swyne But nowe these swinishe aduersaries will obiecte saiyng Syr those which you name heretikes we will proue to bee the true congregaciō And this is their profe We allege preache vtter ▪ or talke of nothing but scripture whiche can not deceiue vs whereby we are the true churche and not you which cal your selfes catholikes Whiche reason semeth to them so infallible that it cannot be auoyded But forasmuch as the knowledge of all truth ouerthrow◠of heresie dependeth vpon the thaucthoritie of the church both for the knowledge of the scriptures and also for the exposition of the same I purpose breifly to say somewhat therin The head of the churche is Christ who by the Apostles was preached to all nations of whō also his doctrine was receiued at least of so many as were conuerted to the fayth The conuerters of whom were the Apostles which in the beginnyng were the mysticall bodye of Christ their head who then beyng the Churche exalted their voyces in suche sorte as it penetrated the whole yearth their wordes extended to the endes of the worlde The succession of whiche Apostles haue continued from tyme to tyme in vnitie of the same fayth Whiche fayth is left vnto the Churche as permanent for euer therby to strēgthen the weake and to confounde the proude to establishe the electe to ouerthrowe all misbeleuers sectes hereticall whiche sectes not onely abuse the open places of that liuely worde but also do falsly expounde the darke mistical places therof as S. Peter wytnesseth of s Paules Epistles But if these ▪ good felowes wyll nedes be of Christes churche as arrogantly thei presume by their owne cōfession They must haue one vnitie of doctrine as y ◠churche hath whiche
frame mannes frayle nature The other gyueth rules to aduaÌ„ce mannes nature The one subiugateth thaffections the other vnbridleth the appetites The one telleth as it were with the forefynger the waie to saluacioÌ„ The other discloseth with the whole hande the hie way to daÌ„pnacion The one gyueth rudimentes to withstande the deuils suggestions The other frameth rules to followe his collusions Therfore let euery man giue diligent hede how he folowe rashe doctrine lest repentaunce folow Better it is to serue GOD then Mammon to followe the holsome counsell of our spiritual mother then the wicked perswasioÌ„ of our worldly mother the parent of synne the nourice of iniquite And lyke as the heretikes aforesayde in the primatiue churche did both denye marriage and faslyng from meates as thinges vncleane So do the protestaÌ„tes and heretikes of our tyme in falling froÌ„ the faith abuse theÌ„ both So y t all meÌ„ may if they weyghe the matter with indifferent iudgement see who be the false prophetes and wolues in shepes apparell whereof Christe geueth premonicion to beware of Thapparaile whiche our protestantes do weare is the cloake of holy scripture lined with lyes false interpretacion of the same euer crying The woorde of the Lorde Goddes booke and suche other vayne outcryes nothing degenerating from the heretikes of auncient tyme for they vsed not onely the garmentes of holy scriptures but also the cloake of dissimulacion pretending to the worlde holynes of lyfe whereby many were deceyued The heretikes in our daies esteme the fast in suche sorte as they can doe none other but eate faste drynke fast prate fast and lie fast A sollempne fast surely and mete for suche fasters And here they demaunde where do the Papistes saye they fynde the faste of the supersticious Lent or any other day prescribed in the scriptures Christ fasted .xl. daies being preserued by his godhed but can we do so being his weake members â–ª Thus they triumphe in wonderfull manner disswading the voluptuous carcas from all paynful exercise Al thinges ordeyned to any godly enteÌ„t were by these Momi derided A pitifull case a godly warnyng to teache men to beware of suche belly goddes voide of vertue and barren of al good workes But if the conscieÌ„ces of these false Apostataes wer not marked with an hotte yron kyndled in the deuels fiery furnesse of horrible heresie blowen with the bellowes of boastynge pryde and bragging knowledge resusyng thauncient exposicions of the fathers If their consciences were not thus marked with that yron which obstinacie hath so sore pressed that the print wyl not out they could not chose but recognise their abhominable errors But yet to remoue one stumblyng stocke whiche the grande captaines of this hoste armed against the church haue touchyng this point of fasting whiche is a place of Esaie the prophet wher he showeth how the people cried vpon God saying VVherefore fast we thou seest it not we put our liues in straightnes and thou regardest it not Beholde when you faste your luste remayneth still for you do no les violence to your debters Loe you fast to strife debate and smyte with the fist of wickednes Now ye shal not fast thus that you make your voice to be herde aboue Thinke you this fast pleaseth me that a man should chastice him selfe for a daie to wrethe his hedde about like a hooke or to lye vpon the earth in an hearen cloth â–ª Shall that be called fasting or a daye that pleaseth our lorde Doeth not this fasting rather please me that thou lose him oute of bondage that is in thy daunger that thou breake the othe of wicked bargaines that thou let the oppressed go free and take from them all maner of burthens to deale thy bread to the hungrie to bringe the poore wandringe home into thy house when thou seest the naked to couer him and hide not thy face from thy neighbour and despise not thine own flesshe Then shall thy lyghte breake forth in the morning c. This place of Esay they marueilously reioyce in vsing it as a sure shelde to defende their doctrine But herein they playe their old partes in alleging one truth to confounde another This is the truest fast ergo the other fast is not profitable the argumente is as like as one beyng demaunded whiche is the waye to London he aunswered a poke full of plommes The prophete Esaye alledgeth this as the mooste certen and truest faste And Christe coÌ„mendeth the other as a meane to atteine vnto the same whiche faste if a man do neglecte the other is not profitable as is aforesaid And thus this blocke with the due consideracion of a good christian maye be sone remoued But as this too some is an occasion of stumbling so was Christ in dyuers his sayinges too the sturdie Iewes that wold not be leue in him And as christ in dede ministred no occasion to them no more doth y â— prophet Esay to the stumblers of our tyme whiche stumble at vice and leape ouer al good workes Therfore it is too be wished that men woulde take hede of them and beware howe to taste of their pernicious doctrine as is said in the beginning whiche is the onely cause of oure miserie for our fayeth is so extenuated by their euyll doctrine rooted so in the heades of many that GOD hath iuste cause too plage vs al in general For without faith it is impossible to please God Then where infidelitee is God is not pleased But hereto the protestantes will replye and saye they be no infideles but doe beleue in the same euerlastynge Trinitee wherin we beleue as it doth appere in diuers their libels wherein they extoll fayeth Whiche is true but in their definition of fayeth they made suche a mingle maÌ„gle of the .iii. theologicall vertues Faieth Hope and Charitee that onely fayeth lyke a coÌ„queror had discharged hope and charitee out of office In the whiche their doctrine of onelye fayeth they fared muche lyke to an Orator whiche was brought in before an Emperour to make an oration Whiche Orator when he was placed before the Emperour begynning his Oration he so much liked himselfe for his eloquence that he had forgotten where he was yet as he thought he shuld haue bene greatly praysed His frende asked Themperour howe he liked him Forsoth quod he as I doe my Cooke at home For when he came to me firste he coulde make me a good messe of potage but he hathe sought so manye newe fangled waies that he cannot now make me a good saâ—orie messe Euen so our curious doctors were so fine in settyng forthe of fayeth that they had forgotten their olde catholike fayeth by them professed at baptisme and in the ende they had forgotteÌ„ themselfes to much lyke the vain glorious orator in his oration the Coke ruffian in makinge his potage the one vnsensible the other vnsauerie This faith onely hath wrought so hotlye
that rather then they would forsake their drossie diuinitie whiche they haue gathered by their curiositie they thoughte with fagotes to ende their lyues miserably And in this kynde of death they so arrogātly reioyce that they be so bolde to compare themselfes with the Martyrs of christes church But forasmuche as this is a cause whiche of some men is thought marueilous that men should die in the quarel of religion and therefore the quarell good It shall be worth the traueill to say somwhat therein rather for the ignorance of the vnskilful then for the matter itself As in the bodye of a common welth politike if anye malefactor these or murderer be founde giltie in the cryme or offēce wherin he is accused forthwith the lawe doth prosecute by the verdicte of the .xii. men and sentence of death is pronoūced for his deserte as a man not worthye too lyue being an enemie to y ◠weale publike Euen so in the church of Christe whiche is the spirituall kingdome suche malefactours and miscreantes as do trāsgresse the faith other holsome constitucions enacted first by the prouidence of the holye Ghoste and afterwarde diligently put in execution by the holy Patriarches Bysshops and other gouernors of the same are iustly by the censure of the same cōmitted to the politike magistrates to be punished either by death or els by some other meanes laufull for the same as enemies to God haters of his true religion and cōtemners of all good ordres The Heathen being noseled in their supersticions vaine veneration of their fained goddes yet bare suche reuerence to their religion that in no wyse thei could abide the despisers therof The Atheniens for that Alcibiades a stoute capteine in their warres was supposed to haue neglected the sacrifices of Ceres was in his absence by death cōdempned The iust Socrates lykewyse was condēpned for the like insomuch that Xenophon writing of him marueiled muche therof considering he bare himselfe so vpright If the Heathen had suche a regarde to their fayned religions what woulde they haue doone if they had knowen the true and liuing god our creator And what oughte we christians to doe touching the contemners of our true religion Christe himselfe commaundeth that if any man doth not geue attendance to the churches admonition he willeth him to be taken for an Heathen and publicane Therfore if that man be worthy to be taken for a Publicane or Heathē persone which wyll not here the churche Then the heretike whiche not onely is incorrigible but also a contemptuous persone against God and his churche is worthye the name of an Heathen man according to Christes owne sentence and not worthy to lyue or be conuersant amonges christians If not worthy too lyue then he is worthye death In the olde lawe we reade in Deuteronomie this sentence That man which is proude and will not obey the priestes cōmandement which that time doth minister to thy lorde thy God the iudgement of the iudge let hym die wherin thou shalt take away an euell out of Israell Also in another place it is wrytten The Prophete whiche beyng inflate with arrogance wyll speake those thinges in my name which I haue not commaūded him let him be put to death Forasmuche then as al proude mē cōtemning the churches anthoritie and the priest are by the manifest scriptures worthy to be slayne then it is not contrary to Gods woorde as the brethren affirme to punishe anye man for his opinions S. Paule admonisheth vs yea entreateth vs too take heede of thē which sowe sedicion amōges the people to eschewe their cōpanie for such as they be do not serue their lord Christ but their owne belly seducing the mindes of the innocent with swete talke and faire perswasiōs Suche are our martyrs in these dayes who in their lyfe tyme go aboute nothinge els but to sowe sedicion either conspiracie againste their prince and magistrates or els to peruerte the innocent with their vaine perswasiōs folishe talke I would to God saieth Paule that thei which trouble you wer cutte of from the congregacion The whiche wordes of s Paule semeth to bee an infallible rule touching the punishment of heretikes But our men not regarding the discommodities whiche myght ensue by meanes of their false perswasions crye out with one voyce saying VVhat crueltie is this to put to death the brethren in christ where do we reade in scriptures that christ or his Apostles sought the death of any man Therefore saie they it is mere tyrannie thus to persecute the litle flocke the chosen and elect vessels of God crying by the waie as they passe to deaah Be cōstant dere brethren be constante in the faith sticke to it it is not this temporall paine which you ought to regarde your brekefast is sharpe your supper shal be merye Therefore the lorde strengthen you With these suche like vayne woordes they brynge the poore men in suche foles paradise that thei with suche vaine arrogance and small Charitee sticke not to aduenture themselfes into the fiery flambes O ye folishe and blynde Galathiens who hath so bewytched you too thynke that that man whiche sticketh to hys opinion to death and sealeth the same with his bloude as you terme it therefore his opinion is good But to answere your fōde obiection touching Christe his Apostles whether they soughte the death of anye man or not ye shal be answered by s Augustine For the Donatistes in his tyme iustlye condempned for their heresies alleged the very lyke obiection whom he answered thus What Emperour thē did beleue in Christe The cause why the Apostles required not the death of heretikes was for that the sworde of Heathen Prynces dyd not serue the Gospel But assoue as Constantine the fyrst christian Emperour was baptized the catholykes then cried out agaynste heretikes For if Emperours do punishe theft murder rape adulterie and periurie why shuld thei not as well punyshe heresie and sacrilege Thus saint Augustine allegeth the cause whye heresye was not punyshed in the primatiue churche For if the Princes then had yelded to the Gospell not followed their supersticious Idolatrye doubtles the quarell of Goddes enemies had been reuenged aswell as nowe And yet wee reade that one thynge was obserued then aswell as nowe whiche was that all vayne and curious bokes wherof we want no stoore at thys presente were burned openlye before al menne and the summe which the bokes die amount vnto was fyue hundreth thousande pence as appereth in the Actes of thapostles But here to note whether it be the cause or els the death that maketh a martyr we will alledge the saying of the late Prophete ofte by the protestantes cōpared to the old Prophetes called Latymer in his booke of sermons made before the late kynges maiestie Edwarde the sixte where shamefully raylyng vpon a dead man syr Thomas Seamer lorde Admyrall
vayne thynges muche lyke the Atheniens For when Demosthenes was tellyng them a soleÌ„pne tale of an asses shadowe and vpon the soubden brake of leauing the tale halfe tolde they instantly intreated him to make an ende O ye foles quod Demosthenes ye loue to heare suche trifling tales but if I went about to declare vnto you any serious matter you would skarse geue me the hearyng Thus fare oure countremeÌ„ if there be any vayne syghtes to be seen or any folishe matters to be heard lorde howe they runne and sweate in their busines But if there be a sermoÌ„ at Paules crosse after they haue â—aried there a while to here some newes and the preacher at the prayers lorde howe they vanishe away in clusters repairing into Paules and either by sell some bargaine in the body of the churche or els telle some tale of an Asses shadowes But to the purpose if oure men wyll needes be martyrs as they pretende to be where is their modestie their pacience their tharitie their loue that is required in a martyr I am sure they dare be bolde to coÌ„pare them selues to the martyrs of the primatiue Churche To whom they be nothing lyke For the sure token then of a martyr was to haue a sure profession of Gods truth whiche token they can not chalenge For in it selfe their profession is deuided vnles they would make Gods truthe whiche is one to be diuers If they wyll chalenge their modestie they be farre deceiued thei vse no suche glorious titles For if any man hadde named them martyrs in their coÌ„munications or letters they would reproue him therefore saying that that title was worthy for Christ only who alone was the faithful witnes of his truth If they will chalenge to themselues charitie pacience and suche lyke they be as wyde For Paule Stephen and the rest vsed no tauÌ„ting wordes or reprochefull checkes againste the Byshoppes and magistrates in their time but with mylde couÌ„tenaunce they answered their obiections But our martyrs wil not sticke to call them slaughter-men butchers blodsuckers and suche lyke blasphemous names more lyke helhoundes then holy ones such is their pacieÌ„ce Paule beyng brought before Ananias the hye preist and beyng beaten of the standers by saying Doest thou strike me thou paynted wall doest thou sitte vpon me here in iudgement according to the lawe and doest then commaunde that I should be striken contrarie to the lawe Then the standers by tolde him that it was the hye preist I knewe not ê™ he that it was the hye preist for it is written Thou shalt not reuile the head of the people Paule herein was sory that he had reuiled the magistrate But our martyrs forgetting S. Paules rule cease not froÌ„ tyme to tyme contumeliously to rayle vpon the byshop other learned and godly menne with the most vylest termes they can deuise yet sheweno cause of sorowe but like Orestes Tantalê° Theseus and Proserpina and suche other infernal furies they exclame in a tragical maner vpon God and his churche the heauens the yerth and all that is But yet one thing there is wherein they greately triumphe that is the constancie of these men oh their constancie is wonderful which is no cause as partly is touched before to proue them martyrs For if their constancie were vsed in a good cause then were it worthy fame What follye is so great sayeth Tully or so vnworthy a wysemans constancie as is false opinion The constancie wherof our men so bragge of is not for any opinion that is good or commendable it is but onely for worldly prayse or disprayse the zeale of whether beyng taken awaye it would coÌ„uert into inconstancie The cause as is aforesayd doth make a martyr and not the valiant death A notable historie occurreth nowe to my remembraunce of a true martyr and it is rehersed in a booke made by that moste excellent well learned gentleman called sir Thomas Elyot knyght Valeriane beyng Emperour of Rome perfecuting the churche in Egypte was a christen man presented vnto him whom he beholding to be yong and lustye thynking therfore to remoue him froÌ„ the faith rather by venereall mocions thaÌ„ by sharpnes of tormentes caused him to be layde in a bedde within a faire gardin hauing about him all floures of swete odour most delectable sauours perfumes And than caused a fayre tender yonge woman to be layde by him al naked who ceased not swetely and louyngly to embrace kysse him shewing to him all pleasant deuises to the intent to prouoke him to fornication There lacked litle that the yong man was not vanquished and that the fleshe yelded not to the seruice of Venê° Whiche thing the yong man perceiuing whiche was armed with grace seing none other refuge with his tethe did gnawe of his own toÌ„gue wherwith he suffred suche incredible paine that therwith the breÌ„ning of voluptuous appetites was vtterly extincte In this notable acte I wote not whiche is to be coÌ„mended either his inuincible corage in resisting so muche against nature or his wysedome in subduyng the lesse paine with the more byting off that wherby he might be coÌ„strained to blaspheme god or renouÌ„ce his religion Sure I am that he therfore receiued immortall life and perpetual glory This yong man was a true martyr this maÌ„ folowed his maister Christ in bearyng his crosse to crucifie the affections This maÌ„ shewed a notable example of coÌ„stancie in not denying his creator the author founder of his fayth Ignatius of whom we reade in Eusebius was a constant and vndoubted martyr whoo cared for no punishment persecution or other torment So was also Policarpus and Iustinus martir These and suche like are true martyrs whiche against the infideles and Gods enemies yelded their bodies to the seruice of death not caring either for wordes fame or praise of men These men wer with tormentes inspeakable constrayned to denye the name of Christ These men were allured by faire promises to forsweare their maister But oure men are with tormentes terror of death compelled to embrace Christes fayth and to relinquishe their Iewishe opinions Thauncient martyrs were tormented to the intent they might fall to Idolatrie Oure men are intreated by all faire meanes possible to worship the liuyug God O what madnes is this to seme to dye for the name of Christ when the sentence geuers do exhorte them to embrace Christ Who can call this persecution If the Turke be persecuted when he is by a christiaÌ„ gently perswaded to be baptized and to put vpoÌ„ him Christ and to forsake Mahomet then maye the heretike saye that he is iustly persecuted But if oure menne doo loue wylfull death and bee wery of their life in this worlde I would haue them either arme them selues in battell to fight against the great Turke or other enemies of the fayth or els to offre them selues in Turkey to
bee burnte or otherwyse persecuted and not in christendome where Christ is sufficieÌ„tly knowen to all men if they wyll nedes dye to be renowmed after their death let them do as many notable menne among the Romaynes other haue done fight for their common welthes sake and for the cause of their princes Brutus the fyrst consull of Rome with suche a zeale sought to defende the libertie of his countre that hee encountred so fiercely with Aruns sonne to Tarquinius the proude whiche was banished for the rape of Lucrece that in the cloase with their launces they both perished Mutius Sceuola a worthy gentleman emonges the Romaines to deliuer his countrie from the siege of Porsenna king of Hetrurie boldly entred into his caÌ„pe thinking to kyll the kyng but when he came into the pauilion where the souldiours were wont to be paâ—ed he discouered his dagger stroke at the kynges secretarie supposing it had been the kyng because their apparail was much like But being taken demaunded what he was why he toke vpoÌ„ him such an enterprise with a sterne countenance answered I am a citizen of Rome quod he my name is Mutius and I beyng an enemie would faine haue kylled myne enemy my stomake is no lesse to dye for the cause then it was ready to do the slaughter For it is the parte of a Romaine both to do to suffre valiantly with other y â— like wordes Wherwith the king beyng moued said vnto him that vnlesse he would disclose vnto him what treason was imagined against his person he should with fyre bee tormented to death Then beholdâ— O kyng quod he what a smale matter the fyre is to them which seke to be renowmed with glory and immediatly thrust his hand into the fyre and burnte it quite of By whiche facte his countre was deliuered from the extremitie of that siege Moreouer Codrus kyng of Athenes at suche tyme as the citie was in great distresse by reason of the siege layde to the same repared to Appollo by Oracle to know what should become of the citie The answere was that vnlesse he himselfe shuld be slain the citie should be wonne Codrus therfore bearing a natural pietie to his countree rather contented to geue his owne life then the citie shuld be geuen into the haÌ„des of his enemies put on a beggers apparel and conueyed himselfe into the campe of his enemies and there gaue an occasion to one of the souldiors to strike him and so was slaine with a byll Wherby the siege not longe after brake vp These examples are sufficient to spurre these wylfull men forwardes rather to geue their liues for the defence of the coÌ„mon welth Princes against the enemies then with suche obstinacie to consume it in the fyre and no cause why They might in spendynge their lyues in the cause of their Princes or els in defence of Gods religion deserue bothe rewarde at the handes of God and also immortall fame in merityng well of their coÌ„mon wealth This is the death wherin a man ought to triumphe In this death a man heapeth vp in heauen treasures inspeakable in erth fame immortal a worthy death and worthy a christen maÌ„ For this cause it is that the feast of S. Stephens martyrdome is yerely celebrated For this cause it is that the blessed feastes of the Apostles haue their yerely recourse For this cause it is that the memories of Martyrs be registred in the Churche of God For this cause it is that the annual celebracions of all the saintes of Christ are hadde in yerely remembrance Then all men which entende to embrace the benefites of Christ and seke meanes therby to attaine to saluation let theÌ„ rather by this kynde of deathe that is to say either to fight and suffer death for the defenâ— of the name of Christ or els in the quarell of his Princes and other magistrates But it is thoughte of many of these protâ—stantes that no man ought to suffer death for his coÌ„science And they lerned the same of Luther who in dede is of that opinion In Turkey saye they a man may liue with his coÌ„science why then should a christeÌ„ man amonges christians be punyshed for his conscience Then may I aske them the like questioÌ„ if a Turke or heretike maye vse his conscience Why did they punishe Ioane Butcher the Flemming whiche were of the secte of the Arrians For their conscience led them so to beleue Why maye not the Turkes vse Mahomeâ—es lawe amonges vs Why did Peter in â—â—e Actes of the Apostles destroye Ananias and Saphyra for makyng a ley For their conscience conceiled the portioÌ„ which they kepte bâ—â—ke If it be not laufull for a man to dye for his conscience than they did ill too punyshe heresye by death in the like tyme of procedinges wherevnto I am sure they wyll not graunt For in any wyse they must be no lyers although it be proued manifestlye to their faces Tushe saye they suffre the Cockell too growe with the good corne tyll the haruest come Then the lorde of the haruest shall deuide theÌ„ shall put the good corne in to his barne and cast the cockle into the fyre But this parable GOD wote maketh nomore for their purpose than it doth against the hangyng of theues and other offenders For if the offenders and breakers of the lawe I meane such as coÌ„cerne treason murdre or fellony should liue how should a kyng or ruler gouerne his common wealth wherin the honor maistie of a kyng consisteth And like as if such malefactors shuld â—ee suffred to continue in a common wealth withoute anye restrainte of punishement the same comon wealth with the gouernor thereof were lyke to fall too ruine Euen so in the state of the churche if heresie should be mainteined the fautours thereof escake vnpunyshed it woulde not onely brynge the iuste plague of God vpon the sufferers but also it woulde vtterly consume all faieth good orders so bringe the soule of man to euerlastynge confusion And that a kyng may punyshe suche malefactours by death aswell such as offende the churche as suche as noye the coÌ„mon welth it doth appere by S. Paules wordes to Timothe Vve know saith he the lawe is good if a man vse it laufully knowing this howe that the lawe is not giuen vnto a rightuous man but to the vnrightuous and disobedient to wicked men and synners to vnreuereÌ„t and prophane with suche other And then concludeth that if ther be any other thinge contrary too holsome doctrine of the Gospell the glorie of the blessed GOD which gospel is committed vnto me Now note here that he saith the law is not geuen vnto rightuous men whose wicked dedes rehersing to the Romaines aswell as he doth in this place he sayth is worthye of death May not a kyng iustly put them to death by the lawe whiche lawe he saith is good if a man vseth it
doctours argued of theirs The oldedoctors would committe the same to the censure and iudgement of the churche But the newe doctours woulde preferre theyr woorkes vpon theyr owne iudgementes Pride the mother of heresie begatte these her chyldren to resist their predecessors But god from time to time hath resisted the proude and hath endewed the meke with his grace The prophet Esaye saieth Woe be vnto you which seme wyse in your owne eies and prudent before your selues Therefore God requireth suche to be ministers interpreters of his worde which are humble and meke Suche I saye whiche wyll mistruste theyr owne wittes and crye with the prophete Dauid Giue me vnder standing O lord and I wyl serche thy lawe to thintente I may learne thy commaundementes Doubtles the showers of that heauenlye wysedome haue not their discourse vpon hyghe mouÌ„taynes but into the lowe valleys Therfore they that wyll be partakers of the true vnderstanding of goddes misteries ought not to contempne the godly expositions of the auncient fathers but with all humilitie to submit themselfes as scholars glad too learne willing to embrace such holsome doctrine as is taught in the churche of God And not to play the partes of vnthriftie and proude scholars as the moste part of our hereticall preachers were who went about to correct their maisters but with attentife eares to heare reade peruse and then to receiue as God shall put in minde CVrsed speakers also in vsing their tongues after a most vile sort not only agaist y â— church the spouse of Christe but also against our princes the Kyng and Quenes maiesties and other magistrates appointed by God too the rule and gouernemeÌ„t of this realme And howe abhominablie they haue from tyme to tyme yll sayd of the kynges maiestie reuerence and shame constrayneth silence vnto whome they oughte to beare al obedience considering it hath pleased the Quenes maiestie to ioyne her selfe with hym in marriage being as nowe one body so that any iniurie or slauÌ„der doone or spoken against hys grace thesame is doone to them both I can not chose but wonder to consider what cause shuld prouoke them to malice his persone What vice haue thei harde wherin his grace is speciallye noted â–ª Unles temperaÌ„ce sobrietie and deuocion be counted for vices What ill proportioÌ„ of body or deformitie of vysage vnlesse they wil seme to correcte nature â–ª Wel fieth the note of any special vice or lacke of natures dutie hathe not moued them what should be the cause then With what vertue are they offended Not with temperance I am sure for that is a decent qualitie in a king and as Tully sayeth It is the ornament of mannes lyfe and the appeasemeÌ„t of the passions of the mynde Nor with sobrietie I dare saye for that garnisheth all other qualities And if deuocion be the cause of offences they muste or oughte to be angrye with themselfes For what man is there that lyueth but he hath a certeÌ„ zeale or sparcle of feare towardes the power diuine Then the kinges maiestie being a vertuous prince of himselfe a noble personage let vs cease of all sclaunder if not for his owne sake yet for the Queenes maiesties sake his true and laufull wyfe and our vertuous and godlye soueraygne But as the protestauntes haue vttered their vncharitable stomakes vpon the temporall magistrates so haue thei vsed the like vpon the spiritual But these are they mencioned in sainte Iude whiche despyse Rulers speake yll of those whiche are in authoritie Yet Michael tharchaungell sayeth he when he stroue against the deuel about the body of Moyses durst not geue a railing sentence but sayde our lorde rebuke the. A wonder it is to se these cursed speakers triumphe vpon their knowledge of the scriptures and yet haue no power to followe the same I praye God they may be lesse bablers and make both theÌ„ and all meÌ„ better followers For we se manifestlye the plagues of God imminent for misusing his grace blaspheming his name Yet many especially the proteuÌ„aÌ„tes haue no grace to impute it to impietie of lyfe But they obiecte the sayde plagues of God to the cause of religion as though their owne synnes were free and vnworthye punyshement and as though the catholike religioÌ„ now vsed were a thinge of late inuented whiche religion hathe continued firme and stedfast sithe the raigne of kynge Ethelbert who was conuerted to embrace christianitie by saint Augustine in the yere of our Lorde after the computation of Beda D. lxxx vi tyll within these .xxi. yeres And also long before the time of Ethelbert the faith of Christ was yet receiued by one Lucius kynge of this realme who sent Ambassadours to Rome too Pope Eleutherius that it might please him to sende some of his learned men to preache the name of Christe and too minister Baptisme Who moste willingly accoÌ„plyshed the kinges desire in the yeare of our lorde a hundred fiftie syxe Soo that it appereth the religion nowe restored by the Quenes maiestie is not of newe inuencion but of great antiquitie And so longe as this Realme was in vnitie thereof vndiuided it continued in inspeakeable welth and prosperitie in marueylous loue and amitie in true dealing and honest simplicitie and in al kinde of god lines and pietie But since it fell from vnitie of religioÌ„ it hath fallen from the grace of God into al kyndes of wickednes skarcitie falshode deceyt and other abhominable vices and from the accustomed valiaunce in feates of armes into effeminate myndes coÌ„taminated with horrible leâ—herie The experieÌ„ce of which vices piteously we dayly fele as a iust rewarde of GOD for breache of the vnitie of his religion DIsobedient to fathers mothers whiche vice our lord knoweth is vniuersally frequented For what childe for the most parte doth honour his parentes according to his dutie What reuereÌ„ce doth he vse towardes theÌ„ whiche of their owne fleshe and bloud hath brought him forth in to the world A dere collope it is â—hat is cut from the owne fleshe yet that degenerate collope I meane the childe vnnaturally resisteth disobeieth the parentes But hereof the parentes maye thanke them selues whiche for wante of good education nosel them vp with wantonnes suffring the raynes of youthe to bee let go and vnbridled not considering the heate of youth too be prone and redy to al vices as He rodiane sayeth The myndes of youth from good and honest discipline are prone and apt to vanitie pleasures The auncient trade of this Realme in education of youthe before the late tyme replenyshed with all myschief was to yoke the same with the feare of God in teachyng the same to vse prayer mornyng and euening to be reuereÌ„t in the church at their first enteraunce into the same too make the sygne of the crosse in their foreheades too make beysaunce to the magistrates to discouer their heades when they mete with men
better lordes worde then y â— wherin england first did instruct you bring you vppe from youre swadlyng cloutes Are you wiser theÌ„ your fathers or more skilful then your mothers Thynke you to be saued more then your parentes or doe you iudge them already condempned For either of you are in harde cases Well well consider your cases and repente in tyme. Get some of that precious roote called Baaras described by Iosephus whiche for euell spirites is very medicinable and dispatche the sprites out of your stomakes Midsomer mone is past you se al your deuises will take no place The nest is founde and the burdes are taken and in cage You re triformed bookes can beare no swynge Men regarde not Turnors boke of the wolfe nor yet the cropeared foxe Hornes Apologie Bales vocation Poynetes folysh coÌ„futacion against the lerned treatyse of doctor Martin strande in no steade Noxes doctrinall of the Masseboke and your newe reuiued lordes worde and haue you not herein an outward face of godlines and in very dede denye theffect thereof The partie which played boo pipe in the wal called the Byrde in the wall of Aldersgate streate at such a tyme as she was examined wherfore she had so deluded the world she answered the lordes worde caused her so to doe And the poore wenche afterwardes making an open coÌ„fession of her practise and desyryng the people at Paules crosse to forgiue her to praye for her made this exclamacion vpon theÌ„ and the like which had procured her to do that feat saying Wo be vnto you heretikes phy vpoÌ„ you all that thus haue the Lorde in your mouthes and the deuell in your hartes This present daye haue I a good cause to crie oute vpon you that in this sorte haue brought me to offende God and the Quenes maiestie in this my late practyse and to be a gasyng stocke to the hoale worlde to my gret shame And therfore beware good people beware of these heretikes for as thei haue vndone me in counsailing me to atteÌ„pte this wicked enterpryse soo they wyll vndo you all vnles ye take hede by times of their noughty opinions With many other woordes spokeÌ„ by her with weping teares against those mischeuous persoÌ„s And there by y â— preacher that day maister Wymsley the hole circuÌ„staunce of that practyse was vttered and was of the audieÌ„ce very much abhorred So I dare saie y â— partie which did haÌ„ge vp the Catte in Cheape syde in mockerie of priestes and delusion of the blessed sacrament of thaltar thought that feate to be a worthy enterpryse And I dare say thought himself a stout champion of the faithe especially escapyng scotfree But lette hym take hede it is an olde said sawe â–ª Qui mockat mock abitur he may peraduenture mocke so longe till he be mocked himselfe And he also thought himselfe a ioly fellowe that did mangle the poore picture of saint Thomas placed ouer the porche of Saint Thomas of Actes by y â— worshypfull companye of the Mercers Who could not tell â–ª what other despight to worke to the Saint but to disfigure the picture But Syr dyd you neuer heare tell of this prouerbe Non-est bonum ludere cuÌ„ sanctis it is not good to mocke with saintes well I feare me you wil mocke so longe til you wil mocke at the gallowse And I dare saie if this man had bene demaunded why he did so his answere wold haue bene the lordes worde prouoked me Thus of the Lordes woorde in all their doynges they make a shypmans hoose to vse it as they liste to do good or il The deuell in his attemptes aswell against man the excellent creature of God as also againste Christe himselfe vsed the titles and places of Goddes worde And is it any marueile though his vnfained ministers practise their maisters lessons Trowe ye that father Browne the Broker of Bedlem could seme so pleasant a maÌ„ to the protestantes and it were not for his cloake of gods worde that hydeth his shepehardes apparell Could his peuishe prophecies be hadde in suche estimacion amonges the warme brethren without his dissimulate vesture and his staffe lyke a shepehooke would the marchant men of LoÌ„don with Pet peny ale Sympering Sysse and other fleeryng flurtes their wiues vse their accustomed peregrinacions and pilgrimages to visite the blissed Rode called poore father Browne that hath the lordes giftes at Islyngton Barnet and other places aboute London were they not moued with the sprite In lent was .xii. moneth at suche tyme as goodman Browne was newely crept out of Bedlem and then lying at Islington to rest his sory bones I harde saie of many prodigious wonders wherof then he enformed the congregacion And I being glad to here y â— prophet speake â–ª resorted thether with two gentlemen of myne acquaintaunce who were desierous to se the maner of the symple soule When we came thether we vnderstoode he laye in a typlyng house next the signe of the Mermayde But our inquisicion too knowe where hee lodged was by a secrete meanes At our eâ—trie into the house there was neuer a worde but gossep all was whist For priuely in a corner certen gosseps were in a marueilous secret talke with father Browne I trowe he was tellyng their sortunes or such lyke At lenght theâ— brake of â–ª Then one gaue him spices to comforte his weake stomake another gaue hym salues to grease his bones whiche before were anoynted with a blisse begger another suger And after their oblacions thus made they departed TheÌ„ weÌ„t he into a parlor wher was assembled another route who very sore longed for his comming partely accusynge him of his loÌ„ge tarriance Being setled to talke the two gentlemeÌ„ and I with diuerse other stepped to the dore partely to heare what he sayde partely to marke the countenaunces of thassemblye For no man except he was of speciall acquaintaunce could be admitted to go in Where secretly he was demaunded questions But for the moste parte we could here no worde but the Lorde be praysed and sawe sondry eleuacions of their eyes towardes the top of the house and suche lyke In fyne before he had done commeth in a poast a prentise of LoÌ„don to tell him his maistres was coÌ„me Forth with Browne brake of from that company and went to the preÌ„tyce maistres who had bespokeÌ„ a parlor hard by Whome we with diuers other folowed And at the first salutacion he called her mother and very ioyfully greted her And after the mother the sonne the sisters had with sondry blissinges and congratulacions wel clawed one another Iacke prentise was called in for his testament who reaching the same from his girdle deliuered it to his maistres and turning the boke she turned to a place of S. Mathewes ghospel where christ saieth to his Apostles Reioyse your rewarde is great in heaueÌ„ for so haue they persecuted the prophetes whiche
were before you c. O good father Browne qv his mother howe haue you been persecuted for the wordes sake what persecution haue you suffered froÌ„ time to tyme But the Lorde be praysed for your deliuerie and coÌ„stancie in quiet suffering thereof The prophetes christ saith hath been so handled Therefore be of good chere maÌ„ take no thought â–ª For one daie I truste we shall all be mery in the lord and shal haue the dewe of the worde once more be sprinckled vpon our faces at what tyme I trust we shal be eueÌ„ with these shauelyng priestes shaue their crownes a litle deper Yes mother qv Browne I am of good chere for I haue good cause so to be for I am cheryshed of suche good women as yeare that I lacke nothyng And howe then can I be sorrowfull hauing such cause to be mery in the lorde In the meane tyme certen other Sisterwiues I thinke thei wer for their apparayle were freese roabes and certen marchantmen tarried in the courte withoute one asking another wheÌ„ the preaching time was And we hearing of some sermon towardes leauing Brownes communication with â—is mother walked vp and doune in the courte Not long after Browne coÌ„meth forth with his mother and sister and Iacke prentise also with his testament â–ª Browne wente into the Stable where tarrying a while belyke in doing his busynes anone he called in the coÌ„gregacion amoÌ„ges them thrust we Where Browne leanynge vpon hys horsebacke whiche was a iade scarse worth syxe pence sitting vpoÌ„ the maunger he beganne to alledge certen places of Ecclesiastes withoute booke one vpon another in heapes Then beganne he to talke of thre Religions The one he termed my lorde Chauncelors religion the other Cranmers Latymers and Ridleys religion And the thirde he called goddes Religion My lorde Chauncelors he sayde was nought Cranmers the others religion not good but Goddes religion was best With suche other vayne woordes not worthy the tyme in rehersal And hearing this beastly talke we departed lamenting the great folly of the people whiche in this sorte dyd dayly spende their tyme too heare suche lying spirites And goyng homewardes we met dyuers companies both of meÌ„ and women of purpose going to Islyngton to heare the sermon of this peltig prophet But within a whyle after I heard saye thys father Browne his brood with the congregacion were remoued from that place and were dispersed into corners Truly pitie it is he is suffred in this sort to range the countreis without restrainte not only for corrupting the people with ill opinions but also for disseminating his vaine Prophecies to excite rumors But this opinion I haue of Browne that he had rather liue a proude confessor then burne a stinking martyr With many such similitudes of Godlines manye of the protestantes in our tyme be inspired Here myght also be rehersed the zeale that the lame maÌ„ that was burnt of late at Stratford had when he called for his croche too haue the same likewise to be burned with him thinking without the same he could not meritie the crown of martirdome And thus they haue certen resemblances of godlines and deny the power thereof And in vsing these their counterfait zeales they doo not onely mocke with God but they deceyue his poore people with inceÌ„sing their frayle natures with a thousand mo of these their practises whiche here I omytte And these their folyshe deuyses are so folyshe if they be duely marked that nothing can be more folishe And if it be well consydered any IndiffereÌ„t man may sone discerne to what ende their purpose is to directe the same for th ende is either to bringe their conceyued opinioÌ„s in credite with the world or els to sturre vp wicked brutes and lies vpon the magistrates suche as please not their fancies to make vproares and comocions within the realme Therby to reedefie their coÌ„fused churche or els to seke the destructioÌ„ of this said noble realme and vs all the people thereof And coÌ„cerning the other vices whiche are of these sortes of meÌ„ wherof saint Paule prophecied because they be partly described before I purpose nowe to conclude exhorting all men that entende to aspire to saluacion to waye diligently the premisses Firste to consider the vnitie of Christes churche whiche in all thinges touching our faith vniformely doth agree and to consider the sundrie factions of y â— protestantes vpon the fayth wherin they do not agree Waye their falshode in alleging the places of the scriptures onely to say euil of the churche and to misreport the same Ponder the wordes whiche S. Paule prophesieth vpon sondrye heretikes whiche should come denying marriage and eatyng of meates to bee vtterly nought and howe maliciously they applye the same vpon the Churche whiche with honourable wordes doth commend them bothe Perceiue aduisedly with your selues what cause the Protestantes haue to shorten their lyues by fyer and what cause they haue to call their iuste punishementes persecutions And consider with youre selues the state of Christes Churche in the beginnyng and the state thereof at this present which in one vnitie of doctrine is all one thoughe not then so firme as it is nowe Waye also the folly of the vngodly whiche presumptuously chalenge to them selues the tytle of Martyrs and more fondly offer themselues to y e fier not coÌ„pelled thervnto as the true Martyrs were but obstinately as who would saye in the despite of the Churche Examine with your selues also what faith the church of Christ teacheth whether it denieth God refuseth the sonne or contempneth the holy ghost as Infideles and other miscreantes do Emonges whiche infideles if these menne suffered then more truely they might name themselues Martyrs But the churche professeth with more sinceritie that God whiche they do that Christe that holy ghost that they do The Churche dothe teache the sacramentes to be in numbre vii as the scripture leadeth and as the Apostles tradicions and holy doctours do prescribe The Churche in nothing concernyng the substaÌ„ce of religioÌ„ doth varie or altar The churche teacheth that the inuisible bodye of Christ sytting at the right hand of God the father is here in the visible formes of breade wyne inuisibly contained in the sacrament of the Altare the dearest iewel whiche Christe lefte vpon earth and offered of the Preist in a lyuely and pure sacrifice at Masse to God the father for the comfort of the whole churche accordyng to the prophecie of Malachie the prophete speaking in the name of God the father these wordes I haue no wyll and pleasure in you and I wyll receiue no offering or rewarde at your hande From the rising of the sunne to the setting my name is great emonges the GeÌ„tiles and in euery place there shal be sacrifice done and a pure and cleane oblatioÌ„ shal be offered to my name The churche also teacheth the adoration of this moste pure sacrifice
an orator Emperor fo 39 Example of a Mason fol. 82 F. FAble of the Crabbe fol. 94 False accusers fol. 99 Fast fol. 33 Feruencie of She Apostles fol. 77 Freer Peyto hurt with a stone fo 100 Freer Bale reuenged vpon a worshypfull man of Hampshere fol. 101 Iohn Fissher bishop of Rochester fo 68 G. GEneua fol. 116 Gestures of an assembly that repayred to Browne the shepehearde at Islyngton fol. 122 Glorious wordes of y â— protestaÌ„tes fo 114 Gosseps and parrotes of the newefound worlde fol. 74 Gosseps promoters of heresie fol. 75 Graues of dead men ouerthrowen fo 85 Gyges tale out of Plato applied to the protestantes fol. 6 Gyges kinge and the straunge nature thereof ibidem H. HEresie the definicion therof fo 1â— Heresy a common womaÌ„ fo 32. 103 Heretikes in the primatiue churche 16 Heretikes why thei wer not punished in the primatiue churche 60 The heauens disposed to wonderful inclinacions in the beginning of Luthers doctrine fol. 15 Hilâ—ne Simon Magus winche fol. 75 The Heathen punished the despisers of their religion fol. 41 A notable historie of a true martyr fo 52 The historie of certen assemblies which repayred to father Browne lying at Islyngton fol. 12â— S. Hierome for y e punishing of heretikes 62 Hoper fol. 17 Hornes apologie fol. 118 Hospitalitie of our late Apostles fo 85 Hâ—ssiâ—es a secte in Germany fol. 17 Hydra the serpent fol. 14 I. IAcke prentice with his testament fol. 123. 124 Ignatius a true martyr fol. 53 Ingratitude fol. 96 Infidelitie fol. â—â— Ioane Butcher of kent and her opinion fol. 19. 75 Ioane Bucher and her stoutnes when she was burnt fol. 47. 17 Iohn Cawode the Quenes prynter whose name the brethren in Germany put to some of their libelles as Imprinter therof fol. 118 Iulianus apostata fol. 82 Iustification not by fayth only fu 112 Iustinus martyr fo 53 Ixion fol. 14 K. QUene Katheryne deuorced fo 104 Quene Katherins letters written to her husbande kyng Henry theyght vpon her death bedde fol. 106 The kynges maiestie that nowe is kyng Phylip. fol. 89 L. LAmentacion made by the people for y e death of s Thomas of CaÌ„torbury â—8 Latymers combate with sir Thomas Seamer his spirite fol. 44 Latymers wordes to proue that it is the cause and not the death that maketh the quarell good fol. 45 London ladies fol. 77 Lucilla fol. 75 Lucius king of this Realme fol. 91 Lucretia of Rome fol. 79 Luther and his opinion fol. 16 Libertie of life fol. 116 M. MArcion the heretike fol. 75 Marcionites people of his secte fo 66 Makebraies boke fol. 118 Maâ—solus king of Carsa fol. 63 Menippus wordes Embassadour to Antiochus fol. 115 Michol kyng Dauides wyfe fol. 78 CouÌ„terfayte martirs and their deathes with their toyes vsed in the tyme of the same fol. 47 Monasteries Abbaies subuerted 110 Montanus an heretike in the primatiue churche fol. 66. 75 Monkes of the charterhouse with the causes of their death fol. 68 Sir Thomas More ibidem A Monster brought forth in Germany in the beginning of Luthers doctrine with the discription thereof fol. 15 Musculus fol. 17 Mutius Scaeuola and his stoutnes fol. 54 N. NAsturtium an herbe fol. 29 Nature coÌ„tented with a litle fo 28 Nicolaus the heretike fol. 75 Noxes doctrinal of the Masseboke fo 118 O. OBiectioÌ„s of y â— heretikes 13. 22. 65. 108 Obstinacie the cause of error fol. 10 Oblacions or offringes to Browne the shepeharde fol. 122 Oecolampadius and his opinion fol. 17 Iohn Oldecastel and the cause of his death fol. Oldecastell a traitor fol. 102 Ordre fol. 30 P. PAulus an auncient father fol. 28 The Persians abstinencie fol. 29 Peter Martyr fol. 17 Pet penyale fol. 121 Phaeton and of his climming vp to his fathers chariot fol. 7 A Pilgrym of Goddes churche fol. 117 Philomena fol. 75 Philip Sannio fol. 86 Pompeius apohthegma to Marcellinus fol. 97 The parable of the Cockle obiected by the protestantes and the meanyng thereof fol. 57 The Popes authoritie banyshed fo 104 Polycarpus a true martyr â–ª fol. 53 Poynetes doctrine with his two wiâ—es 24 Poynetes falshode fol. 25 Poynetes boke against the learned treatise of doctor Martyn fo 118 Mointes specially to be required in a martyr fol. 50 Power of godlynes denyed fol. 111 Practices of the protestauntes fol. 22 Practise of prelates newe reuiued fo 118 Presumption and the rewarde therof 8 A Priest and of his straunge opinion about twenty yeares past fol. 18 Priestes married what womeÌ„ they vsed to marrye fol. 74 Prisca and Maximilla fol. 75 Procedynges fol. 80. 81. 82 Proude protestantes fol. 88 The Protestantes how thei plaied their partes after thei had corrupted the no bilâ—tie fol. 6. 7 The worde Protestant what it is fol. 8 The protestantes without vnitie of doctrine fol. 14 The protestaÌ„tes how thei peruert a text of S. Paule 21. et deinceps The protestantes in shepes appâ—râ—tâ—e 35 The protestantes faâ—â— fol. 36 The protestantes with one truthe sâ—me to confounde another fol. 3â— The protestantes consciences fo 36 The protestantes are bastardes fol. 96 Prayer fol. 34 Pâ—tto a Tanner his opinion fol. 18 Q. Quene katheryn deuorced fol. 104 Quintus Fabius Labeo fol. 110 R. REmedies to auoyde synne fol. 32 A rynge of a straunge nature fol. 6 Rogers burnt in Smythfielde and of the fonde Imaginations of many in the tyme of his death fol. 64 S. THe SacrameÌ„t of the Altar fo 83. 112 Semiramis poesie in reproche of couetousnes fol. 86 Sectes that did forbidde meates to be eaten fol. 26 Sermons pleasaunt fol. 30 Scipio Aphricanus and his contineÌ„cie fo 73 Selfloue and yelding to the fleshe fo 71 Scriptures to proue the burnynge of heretikes fol. 41. 42 Similitudes of Godliuâ—s fol. â—03 Simon Magus fol. 75 Sinâ—n that begiled the Troianes fol. 65 Shoting of a gonne at the preacher at Paules crosse fol. 100 Sir Thomas Seymer rayled vpon by Latymer before the late kynges Maiestie fol. 44 Scorye the preacher fol. 47 Sister wiues fol. 124 Socrates fol. 41 A spiritual hoape loÌ„ged for by Brownes mother the Shepehearde fol. 123 Strasâ—orouâ—h a cytie in Germany 116 Striking of y e priest at westminster 100 Foure Sussex men of late burnt their opinions fol. 19 Syrenes wherof Homere maketh mencioÌ„ 22 Sympering Sysse fol. 1â—1 T. TAunies whiche procede out of the mouthes of our martyrs fol. 50 Thâ—â—s the harlot fol. 76 Thalestris quene of the Amazones fol. 76 Saint Thomas of Cantorbury and his martyrdome fol. 69 S. Thomas picture disfigured fol. 1â—0 Thaborites â— lâ—te seâ—â—â— in Germany fo 1â— A sort of saynt Paule peruerted by the protestauntes fo 2â— Toyes of our false martyrs in the tyme of their deathes fol. 47 Themistocles Apothegma to the Atheniens fol. 97 Traitors fol. 10â— Throwyng of a dagger at the preacher at Paules crosse fol. 100 Trucebreakers fol. 98 Turia a Romaine maâ—roue fol. 79 Turnors solempne boke of the wolfe